Toilet tissue holder



May 3, 1966 N. A. HACKNEY TOILET TISSUE HOLDER Filed July 31 1964 Norman A. Hackney INVENTOR.

United States Patent Acme Holder Company, Inc., a corporation of North- Carolina Filed July 31, 1964, Ser. No. 386,546 1 Claim. (Cl. 24255.2)

The present invention generally relates to a tissue holder and more particularly to a toilet tissue roll holder having features therein which prevent vandalism.

Tissure holders of the type in which a generally rectangular bracket is provided with one leg of the bracket extending through the hollow cylinder on which the paper roll is formed are generally old and well known as illustrated in prior Patent No. 2,603,426 and the structure disclosed in this application is an improvement on the structure disclosed in the aforementioned patent in that it includes structural features which prevent or subs-tantially reduce vandalism by providing a structure which presents the entry of a tool between the interengaging surfaces and latch structures of the tissue holder that are disposed within the cylindrical tube or center of the paper roll thereby preventing disengagement between the interengaging surfaces and thus retaining the paper roll in place on the holder.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a tissue roll holder including an ofiset structure which forms a closure for the space between the interengaging latch surfaces of a tissue roll holder that is relatively simple in construction, easy to manufacture, effective for its purposes and generally expensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tissue holder of the present invention;

'FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view illustrating the structural details of the tissue holder and the orientation of the tissue roll when mounted thereon; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment'of the invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the tissue roll holder or bracket of the present invention adapted to be mounted on a wall surface 12 or anytother suitable vertical or overhead support in which suitable screwaty-pe fasteners 14 are used to secure the bracket or holder 10 in place.

The holder 10 includes a generally open rectangular frame 16 including a mounting plate 18 having apertures 20 therein for receiving the fasteners 14 which may be in the form of wood screws with the apertures 20 being countersunk so that the heads of the screws will be flush with the inner surface of the mounting plate 18. Extending perpendicularly from and integral with one end of the mounting plate -18 is an end plate 22 and extending perpendicularly to the end plate 22 in parallel spaced relation to the mounting plate 18 is a front plate segment 24 which has a terminal edge 26 spacedinwardly from the opposite end of the bracket.

Attached to the end of the mounting plate 18 opposite from the end plate 22 is a pivotal end plate 28 which is attached to the end of the mounting plate 18 by a hinge pin 30 extending through interdig-itated hinge barrel segments 32 on the mounting plate 1 8 and the pivotal end plate 28. The hinge barrel segments 32 are provided with an inner surface generally flush with the inner surface of the mounting plate 18 so that the bracket may be mounted against a wall surface 12 and pivoted in relation thereto without interference from the wall surface 12. The outer end of the pivotal end plate is provided with a front plate segment 34 perpendicular thereto and integral therewith which has a terminal end 36 spaced inwardly from the end plate 22 when the pivotal end plate 28 is in perpendicular relation to the mounting plate 18.

The front plate segment 34 is provided with a square or rectangular aperture 38 for-med therein spaced inwardly from the end edge 36. Spaced inwardly of the aperture 38, the front segment 34 is provided with an inwardly struck tongue or lug 40 which has an abutting edge 42 parallel to the end edge 36 but offset from the plane of the end plate segment 28 for abuttingly engaging the abutment edge '26 of the front plate segment 24 which limits the movement of the front plate segment 34 inwardly toward the front plate segment 24 which is also limited by the su-rface-to-surfaoe engagement of the segments 24 and 34.

The front plate segment 24 is provided with an outwardly struck tongue or lug 44 having an abutment edge 46 paralleling but spaced inwardly of and facing in opposite directions from the end edges 26 thereof for abutt-ingly engaging the edge of the opening 38 for forming a latch structure for retaining the front plate segment 34 in overlapping relation to the front plate segment 24 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The offset construction of the tongue 44 and the resiliency of the material from which the holder is mounted will enable the front plate segment =34 to ride inwardly over the lug 44 and cause the lug 44 to snap into the aperture 38 as the aperture passes the lug or tongue 44. Thus, by having the abutment surface 42 on the lug or tongue 40 engaging the end edge of the front plate segment 24 and the abutment edge 46 engaging the outer edge of the opening 36, movement of the front plate segments 24 and 34 in both directions is prevented until such time as the front plate segment 34 is pried outwardly into disengagement with the lug or tongue 44.

For facilitating the interengaging and disengaging of the latch structure, the front plate segment 34 is provided with a reduced width portion 48 and a similar reduced width portion 58 provided on the front plate segment 34 thereby enabling the plate segments 24 and 34 to be sprung inwardly and outwardly in relation to each other.

In order to prevent theft of the paper tissue roll 52 which has a hollow cylinder or tube 56 received over the front plate when the segments are assembled, there is provided a projecting rib 58 on the front plate segment 24 in transverse relationship to the segments so that the rib 58 is disposed immediately in concealing relationship to the space between the surfaces of the overlapping portions of the front plate segments 24 land 34 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The rib 58 may be arcuately covered with the ends 60 curving away from the end edge 36 of the front plate segment 34 to prevent entry of tools such as screwdrivers or the like in any area between the interengaging surfaces of the overlapping portions of the front plate segments. As illustrated, the rib is formed by deforming it outwardly from the material from the front plate segment but it is pointed out that it could just as well be a separate piece welded or otherwise bonded thereto. Moreover, the rib may be provided on the inner surface of the front plate segment in overlying relation to the end edge 26 inasmuch as the lug or tongue 40 only engages a portion of the end edge 26 of the front plate segment 24 thus preventing entry of screwdrivers or other tools into the space between the end 26 of the front plate segment and the inner surface of the front plate segment 34 thus securely precluding the insertion of tools between the interengaging overlapping surfaces of the front plate segments 24 and 34 thereby preventing unauthorized disengagement of the holder and subsequently reducing theft of the tissue roll 54.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention generally designated by numeral 62 including a mounting plate 64, end plate 56 integral therewith, pivotal end plate 68 and a hinge assembly 70 which all may be identical to the structure illustrated in FIGURES l and '2. A front plate segment 72 is provided integral with the end plate 66 and a front plate segment 74 is provided integral with the end plate 68 with the front plate segments 72 and 74 being perpendicular in respect to the end plates. The end plate segment 74 is provided with a reduced width projecting tongue or latch element 76 I having a transversely extending head 78 forming substan tially a T-shaped member forming a'pair of abutment surfaces 80 on one edge thereof and an abutment edge 82 on the other edge thereof.

The front plate segment 72 is provided with a similar reduced projecting tongue that is provided with a pair of outwardly extending lugs 84 having inclined surfaces 86 thereon over which the T-shaped head slides and the transverse member 78 will snap inwardly behind the inner ends or high ends of the lugs 84 thus securely locking the front plate segments 72 and 74 in overlapping interengaged relationship for retaining a tissue holder in place until the material from which the holder is made is manually biased so that the transverse member 78 may be disengaged from the lugs 84. To prevent entry of the tool between the inner surface of the transverse member 78 and the front plate segment 72, there is provided an arcuately extending transverse rib 88 across the edge 82 to form an abutment (for the edge 82- and also to prevent entry of screwdrivers or the like between the inner surface off the member 78 and the outer surface of the front plate segment 72. In this structure, there also may be provided a rib which would overlie the end edge of the reduced end of the front plate segment 72 to also prevent entry of tools between the inner surface of the togue 76 and the outer surface of the portion of the front plate segment 72 which it overlies.

The front plate segment that is integral with the end plate may be provided with an access opening 90 which enables a screwdriver to engage the mounting screws 14 and the other mounting screw may be engaged when the pivotal end plate is swung to an out-of-the-way position. The structure of the holder may vary in size but generally will be constructed to receive a standard size tissue roll. Once the roll has been installed on the stationary plate segment and the movable front plate segment brought into interlocking engagement therewith, the anti-vandalism feature which prevents entry of a tool between the interengaging surfaces will prevent removal of the tissue ro ll. However, when the tissue roll has been expended, the hollow cylinder or tube may be torn oif so that access may be had to the interengaging latch structure for manually releasing the same so that a new tissue roll may be placed on the holder.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andv changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, his not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A paper roll holder comprising a generally open rectangular bracket including a mounting plate for attachment to a support, a stationary end plate perpendicular to the mounting plate, a stationary front plate segment integral with the stationary end plate and disposed in spaced parallel relationship to the mounting plate in overlying relation thereto, a pivotal end plate, means pivotally mounting the pivotal end plate to the end of the mounting plate remote from the stationary end plate, said pivotal end plate including a front plate segment integral therewith and adapted to ovenlie a portion of the stationary front plate segment for enabling a tissue roll having a hollow cylindrical central tube to be disposed on the overlapping front plate segments, interengaging latch means on said front plate segment for retaining the front plate segments in overlapping relation in a releasable manner, and means incorporated into at least one of the front plate segments for preventing insertion of a tool longitudinally along the surface of the front plate segments and into the space between the front plate segments for rendering the latch means inoperative thereby preventing vandalism of the tissue roll on the holder, said means on at least one of the front plate segments including a raised rib extending completely across the stationary front plate segment closely adjacent the end of the pivoted front plate segment and forming a closure for the overlapping surfaces of the front plate segments thereby preventing entry of a pointed tool therebetwecn, said rib having a convexly rounded ridge disposed in substantially the same plane as the exterior surface of the pivotal front plate segment, said interengaging means between the front plate segments including means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the segments in both longitudinal directions including a resilient tongue means which is resiliently biased in one direction during movement of the front plate segments into overlapping relation and for snapping into interlocking engagement between the segments when the segments are disposed in overlapping parallel relation thus requiring that the access be had to the overlapping portions of the front plate segments in order to disengage the front plate segments.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,582,036 1/1952 Hill .l 24255.2 2,603,426 v 7/1952 Hackney 242-55.2 2,658,690 11/1953 Hill 242-55.2

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

G. F. MAUTZ, Assistant Examiner. 

